Vasily Koshechkin did not dress in Cherepovets' 2-1 loss to Dynamo Moscow. Ex-Lightning prospect Marek Kvapil had the winner for Dynamo, his 6th of the season. Cherepovets draws Novgorod on Thursday.

Word on the street: the latest rumor is that Nikita Kucherov may have been nicked in the Subway Super Series and that the Russian Hockey Federation may be holding him out of play to keep him healthy for the U20 World Junior Championships. Grain of salt.

For once Riku didn't get a shutout. The netminder allowed an uncharacteristic 4 goals in JYP's 4-3 loss to SaiPa. Ex-Ducks farmhand Brian Salcido had 1 goal and 1 assist for SaiPa in the win. JYP plays the mighty Pelicans of Lahti next on Wednesday.

When Ex-Lightning Prospects Attack! Defenseman Andreas Holmqvist had the overtime, game-winning, power play goal for Djurgardens in their 5-4 win over Lulea. Also on the board for Djurgardens was Josef Boumedienne with 2 assists and Jimmie Olvestad with 1 assist. It would have brought a tear to Rick Dudley's eye. Lulea gets Brynas next on Monday.

In MHL (Russia Jr.) action, Nikita Kucherov was out of the lineup again today for CSKA Jr. in their 9-2 win over Orenburg. He was healthy when he left North America for the Subway Super Series, so still no word on if there in an injury or an illness. He is still listed on CSKA Jr.'s roster.

Give it another month, and Nikita Nesterov might lead the whole league in +/-. The young blueliner was +3 with a minor for interference in Chelyabinsk's 4-1 smackdown of Vasily Koshechkin and Cherepovets. The blueliner's +9 KHL mark is quickly catching up to his solid +12 mark so far this year in junior play in the MHL. Cherepovets draws Dynamo Minsk on Sunday. Chelyabinsk gets Ekaterinburg on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Nikita Kucherov did not appear for CSKA in their 3-2 shootout loss to Novgorod. However, his junior linemate Nikita Gusev was called up for the game. No word yet on a potential injury/illness.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but if you had a goaltender who has had a shutout in 42% of his starts through 12 starts, wouldn't you put him in net more? In any event, Riku Helenius sat backup today to Joni Mullykoski in JYP's 2-1 loss to KalPa. JYP draws Tappara on Friday.

Where in the world is Nikita Kucherov? The talented forward has yet to appear since the end of the Subway Super Series in Canada. He was not in the lineup again today as CSKA Jr. beat Togliatti Jr. 3-2. Kucherov's linemate for both CSKA Jr. and the Super Series had 1-1-2 in the win. CSKA's big club plays tomorrow. Will Kucherov surface there?

Johan Harju was scoreless and failed on his shootout attempt in Lulea's 2-1 loss to Timra. That is a bad loss for Lulea to the last place team on the Elitserien table. They'll try to rebound on Thursday against Skelleftea.